As part of the CSB’s initiative to have people pick up their Bibles, we want to use June to encourage people to pick up their Bible and serve. There are so many ways for us to serve in our local and global communities. Food banks, homeless shelters, mission trips, and hospital visits are just a few examples. And if you want to serve but don’t know how, just ask someone at your church – they’ll have plenty of opportunities for you to jump right in! Let’s take a look at this article from the award-winning CSB Tony Evans Study Bible in which Dr. Evans asks the question, Who is your neighbor?
Who Is Your Neighbor?
A strong biblical connection exists between our knowledge of and relationship with God and our concern for the poor and the oppressed (see Jer 22:16; Matt 25:40). Micah 6:8 reveals this: “Mankind, he has told each of you what is good and what it is the Lord requires of you: to act justly, to love faithfulness, and to walk humbly with your God.” We “act justly” in a humble relation to a just God as a natural reflection of his presence in our lives. Religion becomes authentic when it manifests itself in ministry to others in need.
The second-most talked-about subject in Scripture, after money, is the poor. More than three hundred verses directly relate to the treatment of the poor, strategies to aid the poor, God’s intentions for the poor, and what our perspective should be toward the poor. God cares about the poor particularly because they are so vulnerable to injustice.
Ultimately, acting justly fulfills the two greatest commandments given to us by Jesus— loving God and loving others. Christ says, “All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands” (Matt 22:37-40). Both the content and meaning of the Law and Prophets were centered not only on one’s relationship to God but also on whether one was rightly related to one’s neighbor.
Thus, Jesus linked our attitude toward God (spiritual) with our attitude toward others (social). When asked, “Who is my neighbor?,” Jesus responded by telling the parable of the Good Samaritan, pointing out that your neighbor is the person whose need you see and are able to meet (Luke 10:26-37). May we put that into practice.
It’s our prayer that you’ll find opportunities to love your neighbors this year, and put into practice what you read in your Bible. If you like what Dr. Tony Evans wrote, be sure to pick up the CSB Tony Evans Study Bible for up to 70% off now!
